bus conversion in florida.

[Dave R.]

Is there someone  who can tell me where the best place to get insurance on my bus conversion here in florida in the lakeland area.  and should i tell them its conversion or just a motor home that i want inusrance for ?

thanks DaveR.

[Sojourner]

Before applying for insurance....After you receive your first title as bus in your name, then remove enough seat so it less tan 9 passenger, toilet (portable or permanent), bed (mattress or sleeping bag), camping stove and table with a chair.

I n Florida, take it to the tax collectors office (TCO) and they will check serial # and give you title application and have a sheriff to look at serial # plate & coach interior and sign the paper with "motorhome" listed for new title.

They (TCO) will help you to get title change from commercial bus to motorhome or motor-house or house-car.

Always remember...When ever you get insurance, always say motorhome.....Do not mention BUS...or Busconversion....or you will be paying higher price and a runarounds.

Sorry no help where to get insurance....not in market to shop for prices until it ready to drive.
FWIW

Sojourn or Christ, Jerry

[DrDave]

Is there someone  who can tell me where the best place to get insurance on my bus conversion here in florida in the lakeland area.  and should i tell them its conversion or just a motor home that i want inusrance for ?

thanks DaveR.

How is it titled is the question. If it is still titled as a commercial bus (vehicle) you won't be able to get insurance that is reasonable.

In Florida they count the number of axles, 2-axles is a MotorHome, 3 axles is a Private Coach, The DMV guide book even has
pictures of same.

To convert your bus title to a motorhome/private coach you will need an Affadavit that states that you have electrical, plumbing, sleeping
and cooking facilities. ( can be just about any definition of that...) Porta-Potty, Camping stove or microwave, Bed,portable sink (aka Bucket)
and so forth.

Fill out the Affadavit, Take it along with your title to the tag office. And hope you get someone at the counter who won't give you
a hard tiime. If they do, Go to a different Tag office or come back later and get a different person.

It should be just that easy, always has been for me here in Florida... As long as your VIN is correct on the original title they don't always question that part since most buses are over 10 years old.

A tag is usually about $55 or less a year.

The Insurance is a different situation. If you know an Allstate agent you can ask about "specialty vehicle" insurance that covers
motorhomes. It may or may not be available now. This is for Basic Coverage for a TAG only.

Your other options are Progressive and Geico which do motorhomes in Florida, However if you want collision, contents or replacement
coverages you are pretty much forced to go with a more standard Company and Policy that covers those things. Big Bucks Too...

If you have Travellers or First Floridian - Simply dont even waste your time asking. Thev'e been jerking people around seriously over
the past 3 years even over pickup trucks and vans. If they smell dual anything they won't even talk to you.

Good Luck.....

[Dave R.]

the coach already has motor home tag on it now, but from up north .I also have it insured with state farm ins. will any of this help in getting it titled and insured in  fl. electrical ,plumbing sleeping,and cooking facilities.are all in.
Thanks Dave R.

[jjrbus]

I left NY and just found a State Farm agent in FL had the insurance transferred here, no problem (slight problem, I'm paying twice what I was in NY!!!!) That has nothing to do with SF, FL is just more expensive. If you insure both your vehicles with SF you get a 50% discount on the Motor Home, still a $1000 a year for full coverage. Took the insurance card, title, went to DMV and got new plates and title, no problem.
    While we are at it, you can add Emergency Road Service with State Farm for about $5 (five dollars) a year. It is just as good as the premium services, except no 800 number to call.
                                                                         Work?/Play safely Jim

[Ross]

I left NY and just found a State Farm agent in FL had the insurance transferred here, no problem (slight problem, I'm paying twice what I was in NY!!!!) That has nothing to do with SF, FL is just more expensive. If you insure both your vehicles with SF you get a 50% discount on the Motor Home, still a $1000 a year for full coverage. Took the insurance card, title, went to DMV and got new plates and title, no problem.
    While we are at it, you can add Emergency Road Service with State Farm for about $5 (five dollars) a year. It is just as good as the premium services, except no 800 number to call.
                                                                         Work?/Play safely Jim

What's the rule on old vehicles in FL?  No title required on my 1980 MC9 here in NH.  I may be changing my state of residence to FL.  It is registered and fully functional as a motorhome.  Most states will just take the NH registration understanding that NH is a non-title state and issue a new title.  Are older vehicles in FL still required to have a title?

[darrenayres]

Ross, I bought a 81 MC-9 in Bristol, VT last year. It did not have a title, only a bill of sale. No problem. At the Florida, county tax collectors office, they pulled out their book of other states policies and verified that a title was not necessary in VT and then did the paperwork to register the bus and create a new title. I got it in the mail about 10days later. I talked with a couple of insurance companies that indicated additional requirements for a 'conversion.' If you tell them that, they require a licensed contractors certification for all your electric and plumbing, etc.



Darren

[belfert]

When I got insurance for my bus I tolf the agent I had a Dina Viaggio Motorhome.  I never mentioned it was a bus or a conversion.  No problems getting my motorhome added to my policy.

Brian Elfert

[Ace]

Where in Lakeland do you live? I also live in Lakeland! Maybe I can be of some help if your ever in need of it!

Ace
Lakeland, (Kathleen) area

[gumpy]

When I got insurance for my bus I tolf the agent I had a Dina Viaggio Motorhome.  I never mentioned it was a bus or a conversion.  No problems getting my motorhome added to my policy.

Brian Elfert

Brian,

What company are you using? 

What are your premiums / limitations / costs?

craig

[belfert]

What company are you using? 

What are your premiums / limitations / costs?

Secura.  About $750 a year for full comp/collision/glass/liability with stated value of $36,500.  I have the maximum $ amounts for all coverages so my premiums tend to be a bit more.  I do have one accident and no tickets (ever!) on my record that is raising my premiums a bit.  the accident comes off my record at the next renewal in December.

The agent never asked if I wanted comp/collision or not and just added it like my other vehicle.  The $250 a year for comp/collision is worth it to me even though an accident with a bus would probably lead to a total real easy.

Brian Elfert

[FloridaCliff]

I used Progressive online.

No Hassles,

Me: Gave the the model#GMC4905A-1160,

Them: Pause, Thats a bus isn't it?

Me: Feeling caught, Yes!

Them: No problem, Give me your info, policy issued.

You may here a lot of stuff about never mentioning that it was or is a bus, but if they ask.....

But if you play a semantic game with an insurance company you might as well drive with NO insurance and save the premiums for any future lawsuits. 

They will deny your claim or policy based on insurance fraud.

Because if your at fault in an accident with one of these things, it ain't gonna be pretty.

IMHO

Cliff

[gumpy]

But if you play a semantic game with an insurance company you might as well drive with NO insurance and save the premiums for any future lawsuits. 

They will deny your claim or policy based on insurance fraud.

Because if your at fault in an accident with one of these things, it ain't gonna be pretty.

Cliff

Not to be disrespectful, but nobody has ever offered up one ounce of proof that an insurance company will deny your claim if you don't tell them it's a bus. If they issue the policy, it will be very difficult for them to deny the claim. There's no way they would ever be able to prove you tried to mislead them, unless you actually wrote it on a form, and I don't recall ever filling out a form for insurance... the agent does that.

This is always a point of contention, but not once has anyone ever said they had a claim denied because they called their coach a motorhome or RV instead of a bus.

My agent took photos of my bus before I started the conversion. It's insured as a commercial vehicle because at the time it didn't qualify for RV insurance under their guidlines. The agent knows exactly what I'm doing and they have no problem with it. I keep comprehensive turned on and suspend liability when it's parked, and when I want to take it out, I make a phone call to turn on liability. When I get back, I make another to turn it off. I pay only for the time I'm actually using it. I've never had a claim in the bus (other than windshield coverage), but I have no doubt if I did, it would be taken care of, regardless of fault.

[FloridaCliff]

You may here a lot of stuff about never mentioning that it was or is a bus, but if they ask.....

Craig,

No disrespect taken!

But, you left out the key to my statement above.

My point is intentional deception can/or will be a sufficient cause to deny a claim.

Whether they do it or not I cannot predict.

I, like you have had pictures taken of my conversion so there is no doubt what they are insuring.

As I get older and have more to lose, and less time to recoup should I suffer a financial loss.  I tend to want to make sure all the I's are dotted and T's crossed.

Just my way!

Cliff